Council promise to write to
insurers for flooding victims

KINCARDINE and Mearns Area manager, William Munro, has said he will write to insurers on behalf of victims of flooding in Stonehaven.

Mr Munro, who has come under fire along with the local authority over a lack of action following flooding in Stonehaven in 2009, has said that he will write to the companies to offer assurances.

Mr Munro said: “The letter for use by those affected by flooding will lay out what happened, what the council and SEPA have done and plan to do, and the timescale and process for a flood alleviation scheme.

“It will be available for people to present to their insurers as evidence that things are happening to reduce the risk of flooding.

“Separate to this, we will look for opportunities to influence government and the insurance industry, but it is not a matter over which we have any control.”

Insurance is a major issue for those affected by flooding in 2009 and 2012, and it is hoped an assurance that something will be done may make an impact on insurers’ willingness to indemnify affected properties.

Aberdeenshire Council is still looking at employing a head of flooding for Stonehaven.

The role is being created to ensure that one person is co-ordinating efforts to alleviate the problem in the town.

POSITION

The subject of a head of flooding was first brought up at the meeting in Mackie Academy last month where Aberdeenshire Council’s chief executive, Colin Mackenzie, said that they would appoint someone to co-ordinate flooding in the town “as soon as possible.”

Community councillors then discussed the position at this month’s Stonehaven and District Community Council meeting and said they believed that a flooding “Supremo” would be in place in the next three months.

However, it was described as “not soon enough” by members at this month’s meeting of Stonehaven and District Community Council meeting as they vented frustration that this is something that was not done following the 2009 floods.

However Aberdeenshire Council have said that the three month timeline did not come from them and it would be done “as soon as possible”

A spokesman said: “We are looking to put this post in place and the creation of this role continues to be a priority for Aberdeenshire Council.”